Description: In an apocalyptic world, after enduring centuries of pollution to the natural world, we will need to carry fresh air with us. If you see a rich specimen on the side of a zombie infested interstate, zip open your terrarium mask and enjoy the fresh oxygen.

Hey all! I’ve lived in the South for 5 years and I still refuse to say “y’all” 🙂

I recently got a new position as a contributing writer for an environmental blog called Crisp Green, part of LiveOAK Media. Read about Crisp Green’s motto here. It is really fun and challenging so far. It has been quite a while since I have flexed my writing muscles! Big shout out to Karen MacKay who recommended me for the position.

I’ve been going around Atlanta taking photos of people who I consider to be CEOs for Change. People who really push industrial design in their respective fields. People who put design OUT THERE and realize how beneficial the design process is in developing innovative & sustainable products.

This side project I’ve been working on for the past few months is finally materializing! Read more about it below. There will be a Launch Party in Atlanta in a few weeks, more info about that to come!

CEO for Change is about reaching out to CEOs of top consumer products companies in the US and convincing them that industrial designers can transform their products to be more sustainable and innovative. I want to reach the CEOs of companies like Kellogg or Frito Lay where it’s hard to tell whether they are aware of the differences between designers and packaging engineers.

How can companies transform a product to be more sust…ainable? They can (a) alter the material to be recyclable/biodegradable (b) monitor their energy and material use (c) reclaim it from consumers and repurpose it …

Or my favorite option (d) utilize industrial design and redefine your product. It drives me CRAZY that so many companies do not know what industrial design is!

As an industrial designer, I’m setting the bar high for better and more sustainable products on the market. Companies cannot put out any more excuses, just great products. A major goal of this project is to inform more people about industrial design.

So, how am I reaching out to CEOs, you ask?

(1) I have created “CEO for Change” booklets that I am going to mail directly to 50 CEOs of Fortune 500 companies. These booklets will be available for purchase at this event ($10 for professionals, $5 for students)

(2) With the talent of Jason Travis, we have created a brief “CEO for Change” video to tell my story. The video will premier at this event.

(3) With your help! If you support this idea that industrial design is an integral part of creating better and more sustainable products, come out to this event and spread the word. If you work for a company that you think doesn’t value design in its products, feel free to give them a “CEO for Change” book.